Symphonic rock

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Symphonic rock is a subgenre of rock music. The term is commonly associated with progressive rock. Since early in progressive rock's history, the term has sometimes been used to distinguish the more sophisticated classically influenced progressive rock from the more psychedelic and experimental offerings. Though some use the term to refer to any type of progressive rock.

In recent years, symphonic rock has been more clearly recognized as one of a number of progressive rock subgenres, although the lines that separate symphonic rock from other types of progressive rock are often difficult to see, since relatively few progressive bands ever set out to make a symphonic album, as opposed to a progressive one. Symphonic rock is more often a device that a progressive band may employ on certain tracks when it is appropriate to the concept of the piece, while other tracks on the album may or may not feature anything of a symphonic or classical nature.

This makes it difficult to pigeon hole any progressive band as being specifically a symphonic rock band, with the exception of rare bands such as Renaissance and The Enid who used symphonic orchestration and classical styles in almost every composition.

Some of the best examples of a completely symphonic rock album are done by artists who are better known for other types of music. For example, Jon Lord, who has composed symphonic rock concertos and suites as solo projects, is better known as a member of the hard rock band Deep Purple. Joe Jackson, who is better known in the New Wave genre, has recently released a rock symphony. Alan Stivell 's Celtic Symphony (1979) is mainly based on the fusion of Rock and Symphonic music, and Andrew Lloyd Webber, primarily known as a musical theatre artist, has composed an album of rock variations on a theme by Paganini.

1 Attributes of symphonic rock
2 Artists
3 Other selected works
4 See also

[edit] Attributes of symphonic rock

Symphonic rock is best described as the combining of rock and classical music traditions. Classical devices often employed in symphonic rock include the following.

Rock arrangements of themes from classical music.
Classical composition structures.
The accompaniment of a symphony orchestra.
Use of classical instruments, such as pipe organ and classical guitar.
Higher complexity than other types of rock and popular music.
Elaborate compositions in the formats of concertos, suites, symphonies, tone poems and operas.
Prominent use of the synthesizer as a substitute for symphonic orchestration.

[edit] Artists

Lana Lane has been heralded as " The Queen of Symphonic Rock" .

Recording acts of the late 60's through the early 80's who made prominent use of symphonic rock include:

Certain neo-prog bands, such as Glass Hammer, Apocalypse, the Flower Kings, and Par Lindh Project, continue the traditions of 70's symphonic rock.

However, symphonic rock has never been exclusive to progressive rock artists. Particularly in the 70’s, many popular artists experimented with it, such as Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Gino Vannelli and Stevie Wonder. Symphonic rock is also often heard on movie and video game soundtracks.

One of the most successful bands to employ symphonic rock as a regular feature was The Electric Light Orchestra.

In more recent times, new rock genres have revived the idea of fusing classical music with rock music, such as the power metal band Rhapsody of Fire, the Japanese visual kei band Malice Mizer and the theatrical rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The shopping firm Marks and Spencer have released an album called Symphonic Rock which features many classic rock songs such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Everybody Hurts and Bat out of Hell to name a few.

[edit] Other selected works

Ayreon, Ambeon, Star One, Stream of Passion -- all masterworks of Arjen Anthony Lucassen.

The Italian Progressive Rock scene with such bands as Premiata Forneria Marconi and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. This genre's output was mainly concentrated around the years 1972-1974.

The Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós.

Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé's 1988 album Barcelona.

Julius Dobos introduced filmscore-like approach and the electronic sounds of the late '90s to progressive rock (mixed with the traditional symphonic and rock elements of the genre) on his 1999 album Mountain Flying recorded with Sebestyen Marta and the NHS Orchestra.

Robert Beriau "The Cycle of Love; Part 1 to 4" (2005 album "Falling back to where I began")[1]